Ugly Advice – Filling Pastry Bags

Ok, to start with I have to give credit where credit is due – I got this idea from the website PopSugar.com and, honestly, it’s freakin’ brilliant.  It’s one of those so obvious ideas that you just don’t think of until someone says it to you, and you think – of course!  Duh…

I used to just try and spoon whatever I was piping into the bag (either a regular pastry bag or a plastic zip bag) with a wooden spoon in one hand, and holding the bag open with the other.  Yes, it works but unless you’re super careful – and unfortunately in the kitchen I am rarely super careful – you get it all over everything.  And while licking icing off your fingers is hardly the worst thing in the world, it’s still a stupid mess.

Instead, try this method!

Start with your pastry bag – again, either a proper pastry bag or a disposable plastic bag.  I have a pastry bag but I almost always use a plastic bag because it’s really hard to clean a pastry bag.

Anyway, take the bag and put it into a pint (beer) glass so that it goes all the way to the bottom and, as best you can, hits the edges.  If you’re using a pastry bag, put the pastry tip in first.  If you’re using a plastic bag, put the bag in corner first but don’t snip the corner off just yet.

Fold the rest of the bag over the edges of the glass.  You don’t want to completely fill the bag and this will give you some room to squeeze.

Spoon your icing into the bag, filling it to the top of the glass.  After you’ve filled it, take the bag out of the glass and twist the empty part tight and you have yourself a neatly filled pastry bag!  If you’re using a plastic bag, now’s the time to cut off the corner and start icing.

It’s super simple, and super un-messy!  (I originally typed “…and super neat” but it sounded like I was on the Brady Bunch…)